A replie vnto M. Hardinges ansvveare by perusinge whereof the discrete, and diligent reader may easily see, the weake, and vnstable groundes of the Romaine religion, whiche of late hath beene accompted Catholique. By Iohn Iewel Bishoppe of Sarisburie.

The B. of Sarisburie.

In déede, as S. Basile for his learninge, wisedome, and constancie in Goddes truth, was worthily called Greate, so was his authoritie alwaies accoumpted very weighty. If M. Hardinge had in him some parte of that poise, he woulde not so lightly be blowen away from Christe, and his Gospel, with so weake blastes of light fantasie. But this Basile, is not Basile: nor are these woordes, S. Basiles woordes. Onely Pope Adrian in his Synodical Epistle, emonge other vaine au∣thorities, allegeth these woordes in the name of Basile. But in S. Basiles Bookes, whiche are extant, and abroade, they are not founde.

And, where as this Basile is made to protest, that he wil honoure, and Adoure Images, and that openly to the example of others, M. Hardinge knoweth, this Doctrine is contrary, not onely to common sense; but also to his owne Councelles. For in the Councel of Mens it is written thus, Imagines non ad id proponuntur,* 1.1 vt Adoremus, aut Colamus eas. Images are not set vp to thintent we should honoure, or woorship them. Neither doth Gregorie calle them Goddes to be honoured, but onely bookes to be read: neither bookes of profounde knowledge, to instructe S. Basile, or other like learned Bishoppes: but, Libros Laicorum, Poore simple bookes to teache the ignorant.

And, for as muche as M. Hardinge woulde haue vs, to make so deepe accoumpte of the authoritie of this Councel: for the better satisfaction of the Reader in this behalfe, I thinke it necessary briefely, and by the waie to touche some parte of those weighty reasons, whereby the Bishoppes, and Fathers there after longe delibe∣ration were forced to erecte, and stablishe the vse, and Adoration of Images, and to condemne the gainesaiers, as Blasphemers, and Heretiques. Their special groundes are these:

Moses saith, God tooke claie, and made man after his owne Image, and likenes:* 1.2
Esai saith, There shalbe a Signe, and a Testimonie to the Lorde in the Lāde of Egypte:* 1.3
Dauid saith, Confession, and bewtie is before him: Lorde,* 1.4 I haue loued the bewtie of thy House: O Lorde, ini face hath sought for thee: O Lorde,* 1.5 I wil seeke after thy coun∣tenance: O Lorde: the light of thy countenance is sealed ouer vs.* 1.6

Of euery of these seueral clauses, Pope Adrian concludeth thus, Ergo,* 1.7 we must erecte Images in the Churche.

An other reasoneth thus, Sicut audiuimus, ita vidimus, As we haue hearde, so haue we seene: Ergo, there must be Images, to looke vpon. An other saith,* 1.8 Mirabilis Deus in Sanctis suis: God is marueilous in his Sainctes: Ergo,* 1.9 the Churche must be deckte with Pictures. An other saith, Noman lighteth a candle, and putteth it vnder a bushel: Ergo, Images must be set vpon the Aultar. Of al these,* 1.10 and other like Authorities Isidorus concludeth, Ergo, A Churche is nothinge woorth, onles it be ful freight with Images.

To prooue the Adoration, and Woorshippinge of Images, they haue these au∣thorities: Dauid saith, Adoure ye the footestoole of his feete: Adoure ye in his holy hille: O Lorde, Al the riche of the people shal praie before thy countenance:

Ergo, saie they, Images must be woorshipped. Nowe, to recken vp the vanities,* 1.11 and Idolatrous Fables of that Councel, it would be tedious:* 1.12 The Diuel promiseth by his honestie, that he wil no lenger tempte, and trouble a holy man,* 1.13 if he wil leaue woorship∣pinge of the Image of Our Lady. An other sendeth for an Image,* 1.14 to featche home water to his cesterne. An other goeth on Pilgrimage, and biddeth our Lady in his absence to see to her owne Candel. She did al thinges accordingly, as she was commaunded. Until his returne the Candel went neuer owt. Thus muche onely for a tast.

These proufes be greate and weighty: And in comparison hereof, al our Newe Maisters, as M. Hardinge saith, shalbe founde lighter then a feather.

And, for as muche as these menne so often charge our Doctrine with noueltie, thereby to bringe it owt of credit, as if it had neuer benne knowen before these la∣ter daies, it shal therefore be good to touche some parte of the most Ancient Fa∣thers iudgement, and the Olde Practise of the Churche concerninge the same.* 1.15

Origen saith, Dei, vt Inuisibilis, & Incorporei, Imaginem nullam ••••••igiamus. We make no Image of God, as knowinge him to be Inuisible, and without body. Againe he saith,* 1.16 Celsus obijcit nobis, quòd non habeamus Altaria▪ & Imagines. Celsus the Heathen char∣geth vs, that we haue neither Aultar, nor Images. Clemens Alexandrinus,* 1.17 that liued at the same time, writeth thus, Nobis apert•• ve••itum est, Artem fallacem exerce••e. Non

facies enim▪ inquit Prophe••a, cuiusuis rei Similitudinem. We are plainely forebidden, to vse th••s deceiteful arte, (of Paintinge, or Grauinge). For the Prophete saith, Thow shalt not make the likenes of any thinge.* 1.18 Arnobius that folowed immediatly after Clemēs, and Origen, writeth thus vnto the Heathens: Accusatis nos, quòd non habeamus Imagines,* 1.19 & Al••aria Ye accuse vs, for that we haue neither Images, nor Aultars: La••tatius, sometime Scholar to Arnobius, saith, Non est dubium, quin Religio nulla sit, vbi Si∣mulachrum est. Out of doubte, where so euer is any Image, there is no Religion. S. Au∣gustine muche commendeth this saieinge of Uarro, Qui primi Simulachra Deorum populis posuerunt, illi Ciuitatibus suis metum dempserunt, errorem verò addiderunt. They,* 1.20 that first erected the Images of the Goddes vnto the people, tooke awaye feare, and Re∣ligiō, and increased erroure vnto their Cities. And addeth thereto this reason, Quia Dij fa∣cilè possunt in Simulachrorum stoliditate contēni. Bicause the Goddes in the folie of Ima∣ges maie soone be despised.* 1.21 The Councel holden at Eliberis decréeth thus, Placuit, Pi∣cturas in Ecclesijs esse nō debere, ne, quod colitur, aut Adoratur, in parietibus depinga••ur. We thinke it good, there be no Picture in the Churches: least the thinge, that is honoured, or Adoured,* 1.22 be painted on the Walles. The like might be saide of the Councel holden at Constantinople. The godly Emperours, Ualens, and Theodos••us gaue owt this General Proclamation throwghout al Christendome, Cum sit nobis cura di∣ligens, in rebus omnibus Superni Numinis Religionem ••ueri, Signum Saluatoris nostri Christi nemini concedimus, coloribus, lapide, a••a••e materi•• fingere, sculpere, aut pinge∣re. Sed quocunque reperitur loco, tolli tubemus, grauissima poena eos mulctando, qui contrarium Decre••s nostris, & Imperio quicquam tentauerint. For as muche, as we haue ad ligent care, in al thinges to maineteine the Religion of the most highe God, therefore we suffer noman to facion, to graue, or to painte the Image of our Saueoure Christe, either in co∣lours, or in stoane, or in any other kinde of Metal, or mater. But, where so euer any suche Image shal be founde, we commaunde it to be taken downe, assueringe our Subiectes, that we will most streitely pounishe al suche, as shal presume, to attempte any thinge con∣trary to our Decree, and Commaundement. The same Decree was afterwarde put in execution, and practised by Philippicus, Leo, Constantinus the Fa∣ther, Constantinus the Soone, Nicephorus, Stauratius, Michael, Leo Arme∣nius, and other Christian and godly Emperours. These Authorities, as they be Olde, and Ancient, so be they also plaine, and euident, and wel acquainted, and knowen vnto the World: and therefore wil soone ouerpo••se al these Fables of the Image of Nicodemus, of Simeon Metaphrastes, of this yonge S. Basile, of newe Athanasius, and of other like blinde Authorities, that haue benne lately sought vp out of Corners, and brought to light. Uerily Amphilochius, vnder whose cloke M. Hardinge hath so often hidde him selfe, maie in no wise be refused. His woordes be plaine,* 1.23 Non est nobis curae, Sanctorum v••l••us corporales in tabulis coloribus effigia∣re: quoniam his opus non habemus. We haue no care, to drawe owt the bodily counte∣nances of Sainctes in colours, and tables: For we haue no neede of them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Concil Mog••nti. De Imagini••.
• * 1.2

  Genes. 2.
• * 1.3

  Esai 19.
• * 1.4

  Psalm. 95.
• * 1.5

  Psalm. 25.
• * 1.6

  Psalm. 26.
• * 1.7

  Adriani Epist••. Synodica. Acti∣one. 2.
• * 1.8

  Psalm. 47.
• * 1.9

  Theodorut.
• * 1.10

  Concil. Nicen. ••. Actio. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.11

  Psalm. 98.
• * 1.12

  Psalm. 47.
• * 1.13

  Psalm. 44.
• * 1.14

  Concil. Nicen. ••. ••ctio. 1.
• * 1.15

  Origen. contra Cel••um. lib. 7.
• * 1.16

  Origen. contra Cel••um. lib. 4.
• * 1.17

  Clemens Alexa∣drinus in Par••∣netico.
• * 1.18

  Arnobius cōtra Gente••. lib. 2.
• * 1.19

  Pag. 214. Tertulli. in Apologetico. Lactantius. li. 2. cap 2.
• * 1.20

  Augustin de Ci∣••itate Dei. li. 4. cap. 31.
• * 1.21

  Concilium Eli∣berinum Can. 36.
• * 1.22

  Constantinopoli∣tan. Concil. P. Crinitus li. 9. cap. 9.
• * 1.23

  Concil. Nicen. 2. ••ctione. 6.